The volume of sea ice is actually a much more accurate indicator of loss of ice, than sea ice extent. The findings are the result of a huge international collaboration - CryoSat-2 - between teams from UCL, the European Space Agency, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the University of Washington, York University, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar & Marine Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Morgan State University and the University of Maryland. www.washington.edu

The sea ice in the Arctic Ocean dropped below the previous all-time record set in 2007. 2012 also marks the first time that there has been less than 4 million square kilometers (1.54 million square miles) of sea ice since satellite observations began in 1979. This animation shows the 2012 time-series of ice extent using sea ice concentration data from the DMSP SSMI/S satellite sensor. The black area represents the daily average (median) sea ice extent over the 1979-2000 time period. Layered over top of that are the daily satellite measurements from January 1 -- September 14, 2012. A rapid melt begins in July, whereby the 2012 ice extents fall far below the historical average.

A contributor to this years record loss was an unusual Arctic storm dubbed the Great Arctic Cyclone of 2012, with 50 mph gusts which came up from Siberia on August 6th and churned in the Arctic for a few days. The storm had a low pressure of 963 mb on the 6th and continued with 970 on the 8th. It is very unusual for such a low pressure storm to be in the Arctic in the summer. From August 6th to 8th, the storm broke up the ice very rapidly (took off a 154,000-square-mile chunk of ice) and a continued decline has set unprecedented lows.

The storm's powerful winds caused drastic loss of Arctic sea ice: due to increased wave action, fragmenting of ice into smaller pieces, the pushing of ice into warmer waters, and the mixing up of warmer waters from beneath the ice. See: neven1.typepad.com

Sea Ice Extent, Sept 16, 2012. Via: EUMETSAT saf.met.no
The Northwest Passage was completely ice free until a few days prior to this image. The East Siberian Sea ice has completely disappeared - this has never been seen by satellite before.

Arctic ice melt 'like adding 20 years of CO2 emissions'

White ice reflects more sunlight than open water, acting like a parasol.

Melting of white Arctic ice, currently at its lowest level in recent history, is causing more absorption.

Prof Wadhams calculates that this increased absorption of the sun's rays is "the equivalent of about 20 years of additional CO2 being added by man".

The Cambridge University expert says that the Arctic ice cap is "heading for oblivion".neven1.typepad.com

Jennifer Francis, Rutgers University.

The "Arctic Paradox" was coined during recent winters when speculations arose that the dramatic changes in the Arctic may be linked to severe snowstorms and cold temperatures in mid-latitudes, particularly along the U.S. east coast and in Europe. Recent studies have illuminated these linkages. Evidence is presented for a physical mechanism connecting Arctic Amplification -- the enhanced warming in high northern latitudes relative to the northern hemisphere -- with the frequency and intensity of several types of extreme weather events in mid-latitudes, such as droughts, floods, heat waves, and cold spells.

The Climate Accountability Institute has updated its Carbon Majors Project which details the direct and product-related emissions traced to the major industrial carbon producers in the oil, natural gas, coal, and cement industries through 2013.

Methane hydrate, will it be a godsend and replace dirty coal and oil within the next five years, or will it delay our investment in renewable energy and set us on an ever longer road of hydrocarbon addiction?

Microplastic remnants from washing clothes are polluting our waters. A polyester garment can release more than 1,900 fibres per garment, per wash, and that ends up in fish, and then us, if we eat the fish. What goes around, comes around.

Flame Retardants are blowing in the wind. PDBEs are so easily made airborne that they vaporize and are breathed in, or settle on items (such as food) and are consumed. They also bio-accumulate and are lipophilic. No wonder they are found in 97% of Americans and in most animals as well.